My dear readers, recently I have been under considerable stress. At the age of 83 and not in the best of health, and in the process of my wife and I moving into a retirement apartment, clearing a lifetimes 'memorabilia' acerbated by a fire in our kitchen (we were lucky) resulting in the loss of carpets some furniture and requiring restorative cleansing from smoke contamination of walls ceilings and contents.
While this has been stressing us both, my dear younger brother has been trying to overcome a stroke from last year, he fell a couple of weeks ago and broke his Femur bone, the fall happened on a Thursday and he was operated on the following Monday receiving high doses of pain relief.
The operation was successful, but the recovery has been traumatic. Sadly he suffered a massive cardiac arrest on the Friday evening and heartbreakingly died during the early hours of Saturday morning the 4th October,
Please forgive my indulgent memories
David was very successful in business, a superb footballer and cricketer, but most of all a wonderful person and the best brother a man could wish for!
Below: Left. With my 6 month old baby brother and right. as children, with our father and mother
Below: left. Teenage brothers and right. 1965 and David at 19 years old scores his 4th goal in a charity cup final. We won 6-2
Below: left. We enjoyed a day at Manchester United (David's team) and right. David in the summer house at his home in Wiltshire
David was a prolific reader. especially in his younger days; when visiting him in his bachelor days there would be a book by his armchair. another by his bedside and one by the 'place of contemplation' - he gave me the odd book with the message "you must read this" - the one that stayed forever in my consciousness' - Isaac Asimov and The time Travellers.
"In the future, humanity uses time travel to create Eternity, an organization "outside time" that aimed to improve human happiness by observing human history and, after careful analysis, directly making small actions that cause "reality changes"
This premise has forever stayed in my mind, how a chance event can; indeed will change yours and other lives forever!
David in his late thirties was invited to Australia by an old friend, while there he was introduced to a lady of similar age and single. Eureka! this was their defining moment, and just a few months later Annie arrived in England and they were soon married.
With her effervescent personality she was the perfect partner for David as they built personal and business relationships.
In recent times as David's health deteriorated, Annie has been resolute in her love and support, it's not been easy, but as he rests in peace, he was blessed with the love of his wife and adoring family
As a result of the stress levels, I intend to take a few weeks off from The English Apple Man Journal.
I plan to return in Early December!!!!
Take care
The English Apple Man